Emergency Fishing Change at Pineview Reservoir

Huntsville -- You can no longer keep tiger muskies at
Pineview Reservoir.

Division of Wildlife Resources biologists put the emergency fishing
change in place on July 9.

You can still catch and release tiger muskies at the reservoir east of
Ogden, you just can’t keep them.

Finding disease-free muskies

Tiger muskies are a cross between Northern pike and muskellunge.
Anglers commonly refer to muskellunge as “muskies.”

The goal of the closure is to keep plenty of tiger muskies in Pineview
until the biologists can find a disease-free population of muskies to
breed with Northern pike in Recapture Reservoir in southeastern Utah.

If the biologists can’t find a disease-free population, the closure
will extend the number of years you can catch tiger muskies in Pineview
before the fish die of old age or other causes.

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia

Viral hemorrhagic septicemia (VHS) is the reason the DWR stopped buying
and stocking tiger muskies from hatcheries in the Midwest three years
ago. VHS affects numerous species of fish. Fish that contract the
disease bleed to death.

Many anglers won’t be surprised about the change. The possibility
the change might occur was discussed at Regional Advisory Council and
Utah Wildlife Board meetings in May and June.

Other tiger muskie waters

Utah anglers have never been allowed to keep tiger muskies that are
less than 40 inches in length. Pineview is the only water in Utah that
currently has tiger muskies that are longer than 40 inches.

One water where tigers could grow to more than 40 inches is Newton
Reservoir in northern Utah. “We’ll propose to the Wildlife Board
that tiger muskie fishing at Newton be catch and release only starting
Jan. 1, 2009,” says Craig Schaugaard, regional aquatic manager for the
DWR.

An exciting and valuable fish

Tiger muskies have proven to be extremely popular and valuable at
Pineview and Newton. They’re an exciting sportfish. They’re also a
management tool that helps control panfish populations.

Proper catch-and-release techniques will prolong the opportunity Utah
anglers have to catch tiger muskies until the DWR can find a certified,
disease-free population to breed and stock.

Catch-and-release tips

Kent “Sorno” Sorenson, one of the DWR’s habitat biologists and an
avid muskie angler, says his most valuable tool for safely releasing
tiger muskies is a large net with coated mesh. The coated mesh helps
protect the scales of the fish. “It serves as a ‘net pen’ so you
can keep the fish in the water while removing the hooks,” he says.

Sorno and his two sons, Nik and Dane, recently shot a brief video that
highlights tiger muskie catch-and-release techniques. The video is
available at utahwildlifevideos.blogspot.com.